Bottle filling mechanism



jm@ 2, Wg A. J. LiPPoLD BOTTLE FILLING' MECHANISM 5 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb. 23, 1955 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 28, l A. J. LIPPOLD BOTTLE FILLING' MECHANISM Filed Feb. 23, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS j2me 2, A. J. LIPPOLD BOTTLE FILLING MECHANISM 5 sheetssheet 4 f Filed Feb. 23, 1955 i a. Il

ATTORNEYS A. J. LIPPOLD ZZM@ BOTTLE FILLING MEcHANIsM Filed Feb. 25, 1955 5 sheets-sheet 5 ATTORNEYS atented .inne 28, 1938 BOTTLE ING MECSM Adolph J. Lippoldl, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Cherry-Burrell Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application February 23, 1935, Serial No. 7,742

63 Claims.

cleaned bottle filler which, in large measure, is'

standardized so that the same parts may be used in the manufacture of bottle llers of the gravity type or the suction type, as the trade may require.

More specifically stated, the several features oi the machine include as objectives the provision of novel bottle supports individually adjustable to and from the iling nozzles and self-locking in any desired position of adjustment; the provision of a novel and particularly strong light organization of filler and vacuum pipes to support an annular series of bottle iilling heads; the provision of an automatically operable liquid seal in the line through which milk entrained with. the air used in vacuum filling is freed from the vacuum line; the provision of a novel and improved oat valve mechanism; the provision of a distinctive control for vacuum lling which is easily cleaned and may be so adjusted as to minimize frothing and waste; the provision of novel, eiective means for preventing overload and damage to the parts; the provision of a novel pump which not only provides oil under pressure but distributes the oil successively under full pressure to various bearings without danger of overload or failure of lubrication in the event of stoppage; the provision of a novel and eiective means of lubrication ensuring priming ior the pump; and the provision of a general organization wherein the driving mechanism is concentrated, lubrication facilitated, and the moving parts reduced to a minimum, operation made easy. and the problem of assembly and disassembly for cleaning is reduced to a minimum.

The present application is concerned primarily with the rotary filling machine. The lubricating system and pump are claimed in a companion application No. 90,099` filed July 1l, 1936. The overload clutch is claimed in a companion application 90,100 iiled July 11, 1936. The float valve is claimed in a companion application No. 90,101 led July 11, 1936. The organization of the loading and unloading mechanism with reference to the turntable and capper is claimed in my companion application Ser. No. 174,582 filed November l5, 1937 and entitled Bottle filling apparatus.

In the drawings: l

Figure 1 is a view of my improved machine as it appears partially in 'side elevation and partially broken away to a longitudinal vertical section.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1 with the capping head removed and the milk admission pipe cut away.

Figure 3 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in section showing one of the individually adjustable bottle supports.

Figure 4 is a view of the bottle support taken in section on the line indicated at 4-0 in Figure 3.

.Figure 5 is'an enlarged detail in perspective showing the bottle feeding to the iilling rotor and the elevation of the bottle supports on the rotor.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view in perspective showing the star wheel for unloading the bottles from the rotor and showing the means for lowering the supports as they approach the unloading device.

Figure 'l is an enlarged detail in section show'- ing the primary driving connections to the machine and a portion of the lubricating system.

Figure 8 is a view of the driving pulley with its front wheel broken away to a section exposing the overload mechanism.

Figure 9 is a schematic View of the driving connections.

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail in radial section showing one of the filler heads of the vacuum machine illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 11 is a view taken in the direction indicated at i l--I l in Figure 10 looking at the adjustable valve plate of the filler head.

Figure 12 is a detail in section showing a modified embodiment of the invention in which gravity filling is employed.

, Figure 13 is a detail view in section through the capping mechanism which is an element of the complete machine.

Figure 14 is an enlarged detail view in axial section through the float valve mechanism.

Figure 15 "is an enlarged detail view in end elevation of the pump and distributor mechanism shown in Fig. 11.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

The general organization of the machine is the same whether the iilling operation is conducted by gravity or by vacuum. This general organization most clearly appears in Figs. 1 and 2. There is a hollow base l5 housing the driving connections and preferably supported by suitable legs. At one end of that base is the bearing I6 for the turntable Il which carries the individual bottle supports and the iilling mechanism hereinafter to be described.

At one corner of the other end of the base l5 is a bearing I8 for the capper turntable l9,which is also provided with bottle supports andy is assembled on a shait which carries a conventional capper head 2i vertically adjustable upon the shaft by means of a screw 22 journaled in ank arm at the top of the shaft and the nut 23 carried by the capper head.

Spaced above the hollow base I5, at the level of the lower bottle supports, is a table 25 across which the bottles are loaded, unloaded, and transferred between the lling and capping mechar nisms. A single conveyor 26 is flush with the edge of the table and serves to supply empty bottles and remove filled bottles from the machine. It

operates conventionally with reference to the loading star wheel 21 and the unloading star wheel 2B. The transfer star wheel is shown at 29. A suitable bottle guide member 36 of the form clearly indicated in Fig. 2 has surfaces concentric with the axes of each of the three star wheels to co-operate therewith in guiding the movement of bottles.

It is to be noted that the machine is assembled symmetrically with reference to a longitudinal center line through the turntable of the liiller. This makes 'it possible readily to convert the machine for either right or left hand operation. The capper may be interchanged with the idler pulley shown at 12 (Figs.A 2 and 9) the conveyor 26 may be moved to cut across the lower corner rather than the upper corner as viewed in Fig. 2; and the star wheels may simply be inverted upon their respective shafts to adapt them for operation in the other direction, the motor 'and its bracket being transferred to the other side o the base for such operation.

Throat mechanism is preferably provided to guide the bottles from the conveyor on to the table 25 and within the inlterdental pockets of the star wheel 21. In the absence of an appropriate throat mechanism the tip of a star wheel tooth will occasionally engage the side of a bottle under substantially balanced conditions of pressure so that the bottle Will be held to the guide rail or fence without tending to move either forwardly or rearwardly thereon. Ultimately it may either be crushed or may cause breakage of, the machine or may snap from its position with such force as to break itself or other bottles. In order to guard against these contingencies and at the same time to provide a throat which is adjustable ror handling bottles of differing sizes, I prefer to employ' the mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Fixed vertical pins are provided at 266, 261 and As the bottle passes around the head 264 of the pivoted arm 263 the lateral motionv given to it will ,be in a direction opposite to that of the adjacent portions of the star wheel. The bottle will be thrust toward one of the star wheel pockets on a path such'that it will be dilcult, if not impossible, for the bottle to be caught by the end of the star wheel tooth. The arm 263 is yieldable under the thrust of the compression spring 266 about its pivot 261 and this yielding movement is such that it will not only relieve a bottle of pressure but will tend to assure its iirm engagement in the pocket.V As the star wheel rotates, any bottle which might be caught on the head portion 264 of the arm 2,63 will be pushed from said head portion into the adjacent recess in the arm ,and its vslight advance will relieve the pressure momentarily and seat the bottle in the star wheel pocket in its proper position. It is the function of the second projection 265 on arm 263 to make sure that the bottle remainsin the pocket when it is delivered by the star wheel against the guide arm 261 which terminates flush with the guide member 30 above referred to j Guide arm 261 is likewise pivotally mounted, being carried on fulcrum pin 266 and provided with a projecting iinger at 268 engaged by compression spring 269 which, like compression spring 266, is on rod 210.

Carried by the iixed pin 26| is a boss 21| in which is threaded a screw 212 turnedby crank 213. 214 so that the rotation `of the crank willV oscillate the adjusting lever about the xed pin 269. This adjusting lever has anarm 215 carrying the spring guide rod 216 and another arm 216 which is mounted on rod 211 in engagement with the compression spring 218 by means of which its motion is yieldably transmitted to the throat member 286 mounted on fulcrum pin 262.

It will be apparent that when it is desired to adjust themachine to handle small bottles and to constrict the feeding throataccordingly, the crank 213 may be turned in a direction to move lever 214 counter-clockwise about fulcrum pin This crank is fixed in an adjusting,A lever 266, thereby swinging armV 215 in a direction to push the spring guide rod 21D downwardly to the left as viewed in Fig. '2. By increasing the compression on spring 266 and correspondingly increasing the compression on spring 269, 'this movement of the spring guide rod will result in shifting inwardly the free ends of lever arm 263 and guide arm 261 while at the same time shifting inwardly the free end of the throat member 266 on the opposite side of the conveyor. A reverse movement of the screw will adjust the parts in an opposite direction.

.The arrangement `just described is claimed in my companion application Serial No. 182,992 filed January 3, 1938.

The general organization above described may be used without change, both for gravity fillers and for vacuum fillers. 'Ihe driving and lubricating lconnections which are likewise common to both types of machines, will now be described.

The driving motor 40 is mounted on a slide 4I on bracket 42 on the outside of the base. The driving pulley 43 is preferably divided into two parts subject to the compression Aof a spring 44, whereby the speed ratio may be varied somewhat by adjusting the motorslide 4l to force the belt 65 to a greater depth between the component parts of the pulley.- The belt may be a thick iiat belt with beveled sides, as shown in Fig. 1.

shaft 41 of the machine, the pulley being free to rotate on the drive shaft save for an overload clutch automatically releasable to prevent damage to the parts when overload occurs.

Made fast to shaft 41 (see Fig. '7 and Fig. 8) is a clutch plate 48 to which is pivoted a lever 49 having a finger 50 adapted in the position shown in Fig. 8 to receive driving thrust from a bolt 5l which holds cover plate 52 to the face of the pulley. The lever 49 is normally held in this position by engagement of its pointed end in a notch 520 of a lever 53 which also has another notchf54 n ear its fulcrum. Lever 53 isv which overcomes the compression of spring 55 and allows lever 49 to spring over into engagement with notchA 54, thereby freeing linger fromv bolt 5I and allowing the pulley to turn free.

V60 It drives a special pulley 46 on the main drive aina, 14o

If the machine is stopped, the overload clutch can readily be reset by means of a rock shaft.

56 having an exterior hand crank at 5l and an interior crank pin 59 which is so located that it bears against the lever t9 in a direction to move that lever from notch 54 back to its original position in notch 52.

The power received by the main drive shaft 91 through the overload clutch from pulley 99 is delivered through a worm 60 of worm gear 9| to a vertical shaft G2 upon which the star wheel 2B is mounted. Angular adjustment of the `star wheel on the shaft may be made by loosening the nut 63 which clamps the tapered star wheel hub 69 between the cones 65 on the shaft. Star Wheels 2l and'29 are detachably engaged on pins 65'carried by rotors BB and B1 respectively, which are similarly angularly adjustable on shafts 68 and 69. The freedom with which the star wheels 2l and 29 are detachable from pins65 enables the operator readily to replace these star wheels when the machine is to handle a different size of bottle. Each of the star wheels 2l and 29 performs a positioning function in properly registering the bottle on one of the supports by which it is to be lifted. It is not necessary to replace star wheel 28, since this star wheel merely discharges the bottles en to a conveyor on which no particular registration is important. r

A single chain 'l0 (Fig. 9) passes about a driving sprocket 'H on the vertical shaft 62 and thence passes over an adjustable idler sprocket l2 and a sprocket 'i3 on star wheel shaft 19, and a sprocket' 'l5 on main turntable shaft 19, and a sprocket ll on star wheel shaft 19, and finally over a sprocket 19 on the shaft 29 of the capping turntable. Thus all the vertical shafts are driven by a single chain from the worm gear 9i and shaft 62.

The lubrication of the machine is best oillustrated with reference to Figs. 1 and '7.

The gear pump 99 is driven directly from the main drive shaft 91 and comprises a driving pinion 8l and a driven gear 82. The pump casing is open at lts bottom and immersed in the lubricant within a moat or wall 839, which prevents foreign matter in the sump 95 from reaching the pump intake.

The filler pipe 83 discharges into a box-like "reservoir casting 89 through which the main drive shaft l1 passes and in which the worm 69 and the Worm gear 6| are located. The surplus overflowing from this reservoir falls into the sump 85. The level of lubricant in the sump is kept suiiiciently high so that the grit-free upper surface portions thereof pass over the margin of the moat 830 and reach the pump intake.

Such lubricant as enters the interdental spaces of the pump gear 82 is expelled from such spaces by the displacement of the teeth of pinion 8| and flows through the pipe 820 to a filter or oil purliier 84|) and thence back through pipe 859 into the hollow interior 'of the pump gear 82. This gear serves as a distributor for connecting the pressure pipe 850' consecutively with each of the various lines 86 to the several bearingsI of the machine. These lines communicate with the interior of the casing through holes therein as shown in Figs. and 15, in positions such that the openings 860 in the distributing gear 82 of the pump register first with a distributing pipe on one side of the casing and then with a distributing pipe on the other side thereof. 'I'he dimensions of the openings are preferably such that the distributing port of the gear will overlap the leads to. two consecutive distributing lines 99, as shown in Fig. 15, thus serving to equalize any excess of pressure which may have been occasioned in one of the lines due to the tightness of the bearing fed therefrom.

There is also a ball check relief valve at 91 which opens axially from the hub of the. distributing pump gear 82, to release to the sump any excessive pressure in the lines or in the interior of the gear.

If the lines were connected in parallel in accordance with the usual practice, there would be an execs; of iiow of lubricant through those lines oifering least resistance to such flow. By delivering the entire power of the pump consecutively to the various distributing leads substantial uniformi-fy of flow to all leads is assured, and sufficient pressure is available to displace minor stoppages, such as would become aggravated, rather than displaced, if the lines were connected in parallel from an accumulator.

Both the gravity and vacuum type fillers have turntables and vertical adjustable bottle supports which will now be described. v A

The turntable il of the vacuum filler shown in assembly in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a skirted member to which posts 99 are secured at intervals. Over each post is telescoplcally sleeved a tube 9| carrying a bottle support or table at 92. The several individual bottle supports 92 comprise a complete annular series about the skirted turntable l1.

Means is provided for fixing and releasing the lower end with a cam follower 96 engaged by compression spring 9'l normally to hold the rod out i.

of the position of interference with the free clutching engagement of roller 99.

. On the outside of each tube 9| is a roller 99 in a position to be acted on by fixed cam surfaces during the rotation of the turntable. When the appropriate cam surface is engaged by the roller .99 the tube 9| and any bottle carried on its table 92 will be eleva-ted to a height determined by the cam, and the roller 99 will act to maintain the bottle at the desired elevation. When it becomes time to release the bottle an appropriate lowering cam is provided, but before the bottle 92 will descend it is necessary to disengage the clutch roller 99 by a further cam which acts on the follower 96 to operate the push rod 95 to thrust the roller to an inoperative position. The push rods act on the roller also at the time the table is elevated, if desired.

The lifting cam is best shownin Fig. 5 at |99.

It is pivoted to a supporting arm |0| and ad-'l ljustably maintained at an elevation vdetermined by nut |02 by means of a compression spring |03. Obviouslythe compression spring has suiiicient strength to lift the adjustable support as well as the table thereon. During the rotation of the turntable I1 successive rollers 99 of the' bottle'.

supports ride over cam |90, whereby the' tubes 9| and tables 92 of the bottle 'supports are raised and locked by their respective clutch rollers in an elevated position as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

'I'he cam shoe |06 may be used to operate the push rod 95 at this point if desired. hereinafter be explained, the raising of the bottles engages them with the filling mechanism to receive milk. They continue in milk receiving relation to the filler mechanism until the turntable completes a predetermined degreeof rotation.

The lowering mechanism is best shown in Fig; 6. The relatively xed bracket |05 pivotally supports a cam |06 which picks up the successive rollers 99 during rotation of the turntable, and has a downwardly extending surface |01 for lowering the bottle supports. A complementary cam |08 tends to engage the rollers 99 from above vin case they stick for any reason and fail to fall by gravity on cam |05. In the meantime the cam shoe |09 has engaged the follower 90 of the push rod which disengages the clutch roller and permits the support to move downwardly on its post 90 under the influence of the cams |06 and |08.

A rod ||0 passes through ears. and H2 on the respective cams |06 and |08 and enables a compression springli||3 to act on both cams to permit a yielding movement thereof about their respective pivots from the positions predeter-j mined by the adjustable stops H5 and il@ respctively. o t

The construction is such that the cams are very readily interchangeable with other cams for producing different heights of elevation. The bottles must always be received from the table 25 at a given elevation and, in case of a vacuum machine.' the height of the filler nozzle is xed. Consequently, small bottles would have to be elevated higher than tall bottles. By reason of the fact that the bottles are raised and lowered at pre- Y determined points by an interchange of the cams,

` nism.

The resilient mountings of the several lifting and lowering cam elements as above described avoid breakage in the event that one of the bottle support clutches fails to release, or slips from its proper position. It also avoids breakage in the event that a particular bottle carried by one of the supports acted on by'these cams (particularly the raising cam |00) is oversize. Serious damage might be done to the mechanism if it werenot for the yielding of the cam. Obviously this advantage is inherent in a discontinuous cam since it is only necessary to make the lifting portion or the lowering portion independently yieldable, thereby avoiding the complexity which would be involved in any attempt to make a continuous cam yieldable at only one point. If a continuous cam were made bodily yieldable in response to an oversize bottle the result would be vto release all of the normal size bottlesfrom engagement with their coacting iiller heads, thus interrupting the llingA operation.

The beginning end of the lowering cam |00 is extended below the position at which such cam' will normally pick up the cam follower 99 of each used as shown at H8 in Fig. 1. are constantly supported and controlled by the arcaica successive bottle support. If the automatic clutch mechanism fails to hold, and a bottle support is dropped in the progress of the machine, the cam |06 will nevertheless pick up the dropped support and hold at the proper level for delivery of its bottle in the normal manner. If the support shouldbe stuck, however, the spring H3 would permit the cam to accommodate itself to the position of the support without destroying the equipment.

In the capping mechanism the same posts are attached to the turntable i9, and the same tubes 9| are sleeved thereon for the adjustable support of bottle tables 92. Since -it is an easy matter, however, to raise and lower the entire `capping head to adjust the machine for handling bottles of diiierent sizes, and since, moreover, the bottles are not to be retained for any great length of time in an elevated position, it is not necessary to lock the adjustable supports, and the clutch rollers are omitted. A fixed cam is The rollers 99 xed surface. of cam H8 which raises the bottles to capping position and lowers them for discharge from the capper by star wheel 28.

Where a gravity ller is used, as shown in Fig. 12, the height `of the tank may readily be adjusted, and consequently there is no need for interchanging the cam surfaces. The length of travel in elevated position is such, however, that the bottle supports can most conveniently be held by the clutch mechanism, and accordingly such mechanism is thereemployed. v

In the construction shown in Fig. 12 the sprocket l5 is the same as that which has been described. Instead of being mounted on a solid spindle l, however,this sprocket is mounted onl a tubular spindle |60 which carries at lits lower end a bearing on which a nut |20 and an adjusting gear 2| therefor are mounted. A bevel pinion |22 is carried by a retractable shaft I 23 for engagement and disengagement with the gear |2| subject to the control of a shifting lever |20. A crank |25 on shaft |20 enables the manual operation of thenut to raise and lower a spindle extension shaft |26 which is screw threaded at |21 in engagement with the nut. When the machine is in operation the shifting lever |24 is manipulated to disengagel the gearing so that the handle |25 will remain at rest.

The turntable |10, which is mounted on the tubular Aspindle shaft carries vertically projecting pins |28 and |29 engaged by openings in a sleeve |30 connected with the extension spindle |26 upon which the milk tank |3| is mounted. 'I'he arrangement splines the tank ,to the turntable |1|0 to turn therewith while permitting a ready adjustment of the tank vertically with ref--A erence to the turntable either to adapt the machine to different sizes of bottles or to facilitate the removal of the tank for cleaning or repair. In the gravity type of machine the nozzles |32 are of a conventional construction which includes a valve opened by pressure of the bottle to permit the milk to flow by gravity from ,the tank i into the bottle during such period as the bottle the surface of the milk. y

tained in pipe |50 equal to coupling |38, terminates in a ported fitting |39 over which the hub portion |40 of the oat 131 is sleeved for vertical movement as the float rises and falls. The iioat |31 is in the form of an inverted cup iioated by air trapped therein above When the milk in chamber |35 reaches a sufllcient level the rise of float 131cuts 01T the supply.

A float valve of this sort is ordinarily subject to leakage. I have -foundit possible to avoid such leakage by providing the hub portion 151| of the oat and the fitting 139 of the milk pipe with complementary tapered sides both above and below the ports of the tting. As clearly appears from Fig-14, the upper beveled seat is of greater radius than the cylindrical bearing surface, while the lower beveled seat is of smaller radius than the bearing surface. The dimensions are such that these seats are engaged simultaneously when the float reaches its extreme upper position, and tests have demonstrated the fact that there is substantially no leakage when the sleeve valve is supplemented by tapered valve seats on each side of the port as shown.

As the sleeve valve is moved downwardly by the float due to a decrease of milk level in chamber |315, the tapered valves leave their seats as shown in Fig. 14, and finally, the ports of the sleeve 155 register with the ports of the pipe tting 139, thereby allowing the milk to enter chamber 135. To prevent such milk from entraining the air trapped in the float |31, I prefer to employ an annular baille at 151 about the admission. ports. y

There is a closure |52 for milk chamber |55 which has a tapered seat on the top of the chamber, and hence is virtually airtight without requiring any clamp. The .vacuum chamber y155 is held stationary while the chamber |35 and closure 152 revolve vwith the turret.

While any desired means may be used to hold the vacuum chamber |55 against rotation, i prefer a freely detachable connection from the support 1520 upon which the separating chamber |51 is mounted. An arm 1521 is mounted on the support 1520 and a link |522 has its ends loosely engaged respectively in the arm 152| and in the top of the vacuum chamber |55, as clearly appears in Fig. 2. By simply lifting up on this link it is freed from engagement with the vacuum chamber to permit this chamber to be removed incident to the opening of the milk chamber for the cleansing of the ports.

The outer periphery of closure |52 is channeled at |53 to provide an air passage in which vacuum is maintained through ducts |55, vacuum chamber |55, and vacuum pipe |55. The pipe leads through a baied separating chamber |51 which is entered by vacuum pipe |58 leading to the intake of the vacuumv pump 150. Any milk entrained with theair drawn through the pipe 156 is discharged in chamber |51 and passes through duct |50 into a removable receptacle 15| from which an overflow pipe 152 leads back to the milk chamber The receptacle 151 provides a liquid seal which enables the automatic return of milk from the separating chamber 151 through the pipe |52 without loss of vacuum. the pipe from the receptacle 15| and the separating chamber is of substantial length, the

separating chamber being located at la suiiicient v height to enable a column of liquid to be mainthe vacuum produced by the pump |59. The capacity of the receptacle It will be noted that f 151 is so calculated as to provide in pipe |50 a. column of milk of the necessary height. Thus, when the air pump |53 is started, the milk chamber |35 and pipe |52 being at atmospheric pressure and the receptacle |51 being initially filled with milk, the vacuum produced in the separating chamber |51 will draw the milk from receptacle 151 upwardly in pipe |50 to a sufficient height to provide a column which balances the vacuum produced by the pump. 'I'hereupon any excess of milk return to pipe |50 from the separating chamber |51 will release some of the milk from the lower end of the pipe until receptacle 151 is again filled, whereupon the excess passes back through pipe 152 at atmospheric pressure to the milk chamber |35. v

The individual filler heads are spaced at distances corresponding tothe separation of the bottle supports 92. They are all mounted on a ring |55, the ring and several heads being spaced from the milk chamber by milk conduits |55 leading upwardly from the bottom of the milk chamber and air conduits |55 leading approximately horizontally to the beveled surface of the flange of the milk chamber through which they communicate with chamber |55. Thus the pipes to and from each ller head make a Wall portion of the milk chamber, and the filler heads are rigidly supported and braced by the pipes which serve them, no other mounting being necessary other than the ring |55 which interconnects all of the heads against lateral displaceducts 155 and vacuum triangle with the adjacent ment.

The filler heads are best illustrated in Figs. l, 2, 10 and l1. Each ller head comprises a block 151| having a beveled face at |61 upon which a |62 is pivoted at |53. The valve posts at 155 and |55 whereby between its open and closed plate-like valve has two projecting it is manipulated positions.

On its under ries a nozzle 1'51 bottle 158. The nozzle to engage zle isprovided with a milk duct uum duct 11|, both of which through the filler head toward the beveled surface |51. Immediately adjacent that surface the milk duct 113 communicates with a duct-like extension 112 of the milk pipe |55 through the filler head. The vacuum duct |11 leads to the face n|51 of the flllerhead where it communicates with a groove 115 that leads to the duct-like yextension 115 like the vacuum pipe 153 through the filler head.

. The fact that the series of vacuum ducts includes groove |15 exposed to the surface 16|, tends to create a vacuum under the valve plate 152 which holds the valve plate to the face 1'111 of the filler head. The valve plate is otherwise freelv removable from its pivot pin |63 for cleaning. The cleansing of all ducts and pipes is facilitated by the fact that they open through the 113 and a vac-- lead upwardly,

surface the filler head |65 ,car- I face |6| of the filler head. The groove |16 regulates the' degree of vacuum applied to the bottle, and if it were not an open groove in the face' |6| of the filler head it could not be cleaned.

Duct |1| is of the smallest diameter practical ble to receive a cleaning brush. Yet'its capacity is more than ample and is, in fact, so great that following the completion 'of the iilling operation the air admitted through hole |88 to break the vacuum would be withdrawn so rapidly through pipe |56 as to occasion violent agitation on the surface of the liquid of the lled bottle. This situation is controlled by making the groove |16 very shallow to limit the capacity of the vacuum line and thereby to restrict greatly the circulation of air following the filling operation. The

area of groove |10 is sufficient to permit of proper illing and yet to prevent agitation of the milk.

Being an open groove, it out special equipment.

The upper end of pipe |55 is well above the is readily cleaned withrnormal level of milk in the chamber |85. Thus,

" no milk can flow from the chamber to the bottles vthe several vacuum except when the bottles are subject to partial vacuum due to the Withdrawal of air through pipes |56. It will be noted from Figs. ll and 2 that just before the bottles are fed onto the filler turntable by star wheel 21,

the post |65 of each successive valve plate encounters the fixed arm |11 on bracket |18. Be-

fore that time the valve plate has been in the position shown in Fig. 1l wherein an orifice |58 inthe valve plate has registered with the milk duct |12 to break the 'Vacuum in the milk duct, thereby to prevent a flow of milk. The e'ect of the engagement between the arm |11 and the valve pin |65 is to adjust the valve plate counterclockwise to' a position of registry with the inclined surface |6| of the filler head as shown in Fig. 2. This pivotal adjustment in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 2 and l1, has the eect of interrupting the communication of milk duct |12 with the atmosphere through the port Idil. drawal of the air through vacuum pipe |56 is effective through ducts |15, |18, and 61|, to maintain a vacuum in the bottle through which milk will be induced to flow from the storage chamber |35 through pipe |55 and ducts |12 and |18to the bottle. This flow will continue as the filling turret revolves.

Obviously the time required to lill the bottle will vary according to the size of the bottle, and consequently for larger and smaller bottles a larger and smaller proportion of the circular path of travel of the filling turret will be devoted to the lling operation. The lling operation may be interrupted at any point by adjusting the valve plate |62 to the y thereby admitting air through port to the milkvtube |12 and destroying the vacuum in the milk tube. This prevents any undue surplus of milk from being drawn through the bottle and the-air ducts to the separator |81 and being converted into froth.

In order adjustably to interrupt the filling operation as soon as the bottles of any particular flange |85 of the vacuum chamber which is held stationary by retaining rod |422, anchored to Fig. Z. A finger |06 l.

supporting. post |620, see

mounted on the end of the arm |02 is in a posi- VTherefore the continuous withposition shown in Fig. 11,v

tion to strike the pin |66 of each successive filler head rotating therebeneath. The arm has a tting |81 which is steadied on the ring 54 which connects the filler heads. In this manner the plate valve |62 is readily oscillated to break the vacuumin the milk line and to stop the illling operation at any given point. Throughout the remainder of the angular distance through which the bottles move on the turntable before passing around star wheel 29 ,to the capper, atmospheric air enters the port |80 in volume suiiicient to supply the amounts Withdrawn through ducts I1 I, |16, |15, and pipe |56. Any froth in the bottle will be withdrawn by the air during this time and will separate out in the separator Mil. The final level of liquid depends upon the depth to which plug |61 extends into the bottle and is determined by thickness of seal |69. Since location of port |80 at top of milk duct clears out the latter, there is no need to provide displacement in the bottle by plug |61 to receive liquid dropping out when bottle is lowered, as is the case in conventional gravity valves as well as in some vacuum fillers.

Each milk pipe |55 with its associated ducts |12 and |13 leading to the mouth of the bottle constitutes an inverted U tube of which the pipe |55 is a relatively long leg and the duct |18 an extremely short leg. The vacuum relief afforded by communication of port |80 with duct |12 occurs at `the highest point in this inverted U tube and the length of duct |13 is so short that after the port opens only a very small quantity of milk will continue to flow to the bottle. The remainder will ow back in pipe |55 to the level of the milk in the float chamber |35.

Vacuum will continuously be' applied through pipe |56 and ducts |143 and |1|. Consequently the air admitted to the bottle through port |50 will continue the displacement of all milk in the vacuum line|1|, |15, |56 which may have reached such line up to the point of the opening of port |80. Any such milk will be driven through the vacuum line without frothing or bubbling or substantial aeration, thisY being very advantageous from the standpoint of leaving the milk in condition for return to the float chamber through the separating system |81, |50, I 5| and |52.

It is particularly tol be noted that by merely unscrewing the couplings of the milk pipe |88, vacuum pipe |56, and the return pipe |52, it is readily possible to remove the several .concentric closures and to expose the milk chamber for cleaning. 'I'he float will be lifted off with the ,closures and will readily be accessible. The valve plates are readily lifted oif and, as above noted, ,all pipes are directly accessible through the beveled surface 6| of the lier head |60. Thus, all portions of the apparatus exposed to the milk may be cleaned with the utmost ease and accessibility, with operator standing on the floor.

The operation of the apparatus may be summarized as follows.

Empty bottles arrive on conveyor 26 and, according to their size, are fed by interchangeable star Wheels 21 on to the filler turntable which includes-vertically adjustable bottle supports.

As the bottle is transferred to the support it is at the level of the tablesurface 25, but immediately thereafter, inthe course of turntable rotation, the roller 99 of each support encounters the adjustable cam |00 vwhich easily lifts the support to a sufcient height so that the rim of the bottle is firmly pressed against the gasket |60 of the ller head. Immediately prior to this 7B and air is withdrawn point the valve plete isz has been adjusted to shut off communication between the atmosphere dial pipes l@ and from the bottles which are not yet filled.

` This vacuum in the bottles causes milk to flow fromrthe constant level chamber |35 upwardly through the distributing pipes |55 and into the bottles.

At the point of rotation of the turntable where the bottles have been lled, the vacuum in the milk supply pipe IE5 is broken by adjusting the 'plate valve |62 to a position 'such that the port (80 registers with the milk pipe. Air is continuously withdrawn through the mouth of the bottle, however, until the bottle is again lowered from the iiller head.

The lowering takes place when the roller 99 of the individual bottle support rides between a pair of lowering cams, and the push rod 96 which controls the supporting clutch is concurrently released to allow the support to move downwardly. When thesupport is moved to the level of the table surface 25, star wheel 29 transfers the bottle from the illler turntable to the capper turntable which has similar supports whereon the individual bottles are successively raised to the cappers. In the capper turntable, however, there is no means for locking the supports in an elevated position, and upon the completion of the capping operation the bottles are lowered once more to table and discharged by star wheel 28 on to the outgoing end oi conveyor 2t.

The mechanism has been illustrated in Fig. 2, but need not herev be described in detail, which adjustably provides for ejecting bottles in the event that a bottle of improper size is fed to the. machine. If anything else goes wrong which obstructs the free operation of the apparatus, the overload clutch shown in Figs. 7 and-8 and heretofore described, will be effective to interrupt all drive to the machine.

The lubrication system is best vshown in Figs. 1

and 7 and has been described in detail. It provides a fully enclosed means of lubricating all bearings without any possibility of polluting the milk stream or of exposing the lubricant to foreign matter. l

If the gravity vfillershown in Fig. 12 is used, the loading, i'llling, capping, and unloading, of bottles are exactly as heretofore described with the single exception of the fact that the filling valve nozzles are controlled by valves which operate in response to the pressure of the bottles thereon to enable the milk to now by gravity instead of the vacuum ilow system just described above.

In conclusion, reference is again made to the compact organization, the simplicity, the strength,

and the cleanliness of the device herein disclosed.

I claim:

, 1. In a bottle iiller, the combination with a bottle supporting member and a guide member having relatively converging clutch surfaces and being relatively reciprocable, of a clutch dog biased for frictional engagement between said surfaces, whereby to lock said members against relative movement in one direction, and a clutch releasing connection extending along said guide to a position for engagement with said dog and movable in a direction to release said dog, whereby tofpermit relative movement between said supporting member and guide member in sai direction.

2. A bottle filling machine comprising the combination with a turntable provided with a series of guides, of bottle supports individually adjustable on said guides, clutch mechanism effective upon individual ysupports to maintain them at predetermined levels of adjustment on said guides, means operativein the course of turntable rotation for-disengagingvsaid clutch mechanism, and a lowering cam fixedadjacent the path of turntable rotation and `prpvided with means engageable with` successive-:supports to control the downward movementthereof, said lowering means comprising rvertically spaced vdownwardlyinclined surfaces and said supports having -cam followers engageable between said surfaces, whereby the controlledy downward movement of said supports is positively assured.

3. A bottle filling machine comprising the combination with a chamber and anannular series offilling heads, of a supply pipe leading to said chamber, means for maintaining a substantially c'onstantlevel of liquid in said chamber below the level of said heads, a ring connecting said heads, and means supporting said ringand heads from said chamber comprising `upwardly inclined pipes leading from said chamber to the respective heads, a closure for said chamber provided with vacuum line connections, and vacuum pipes from said closure to the respective heads and bracing the series of said heads and said ring from said chamber.'

4. A bottle iiller comprising the combination with a central chamber, of a closure therefor providing a vacuum chamber, a supply pipe leading to said ilrst mentioned chamber through said closure and provided with a float valve for maintaining a predetermined level of liquid therein,

an annular series of iiller heads surrounding said first mentioned chamber above said level, pipes leading upwardly from said nrst mentioned chamber to said heads, and vacum pipes from said heads to the vacuum chamber within said closure, said several pipes providing means forsupporting and bracing said heads.

5, In a bottle iiller, the combination with a nozzle receivable into a bottle, of a iiller head provided With a bottle sealing gasket about said nozzle and having ducts opening downwardly through said nozzle to said bottle, other ducts communicating with the iirst mentioned ducts, and leading away from said head for supply and vacuum respectively, .said several ducts opening through said head forthe reception of a cleaning brush. f

6. In a bottle filler, the combination with a nozzle receivable into a bottle, of a lller head provided with a bottle sealing gasket about said .nozzle and having ducts opening downwardly through said nozzle to said bottle, other ducts communicating with the first mentioned ducts, and leading away from said head for supply and vacuum respectively, said several ducts opening through said head for the reception of a cleaning brush, and a single closure removably positioned on said head to cover the openings of all of said ducts.

7. In a bottle filling machine, a iiller head hav- K ing a beveled surface and a bottle engagingportion and provided with a vacuum duct opening from said surface downwardly through said bottle engaging portion, a second vacuum duct communicating with said first mentioned duct adjacent said surface and opening out of said head', 715

a first liquid duct extending downwardly from said surface through said bottle engaging portion, and a second liquid duct communicating with the first adjacent said surface and opening out of said head, the angle of said surface being such that all of said ducts are directly accessible through said surface for cleansing.

8. In a bottle filling machine, a filler head having a beveled surface and a bottle engaging portion and provided with al vacuum duct opening from said surface downwardly through said bottle engaging portion, a second vacuum duct communicating with said first mentioned duct adjacent said surface and opening out of said head, a first liquid duct extending downwardly from said surface through said bottle engaging portion, and a second liquid .duct communicating with the yrst adjacent said surface and opening out of said head, the angle of said surface being such that all of said ducts are directly accessible through said surface for cleansing, together with a plate applied to said surface and adapted to be held thereto by vacuum in said vacuum ducts g for sealingthe openings of said several ductsl to said surface.

9. In a bottle filling machine, a filler head having a beveled surface and a bottle engaging portion and provided with a vacuum duct opening from said surface downwardly through said bottle engaging portion, a second vacuum duct com- 'municating Awith said first mentioned duct adjacent said surface and opening out of said head. a first liquid duct extending downwardly from said sinface through'said bottle engaging portion, and a second liquid duct communicating with the first adjacent said surface and opening out of said head,` the angle of said surface being such that all of said ducts are directly accessible through said surface for cleansing, together with a plate applied to said surface and adapted to be held thereto by vacuum in said vacuum duct.,Y for sealing the openings of said several ducts to said surface, said plate being pivoted for annular adjustment on said surface and provided with an orifice adaptedin one position of pivotal adjustment of said plate to register with one of said liquid ducts to breakthe vacuum therein.

10. A bottle filling machine comprising the combination with an annular series of filling heads and a liquid reservoir below the level of said heads provided with pipes individually connecting it with the respective heads, of a vacuum chamber provided with pipes connecting it with the respective heads, filling nozzles on the respective heads, vacuum and liquid ducts opening through the nozzles of the respective heads and communicating with the aforesaid vacuum and liquid pipes, a valve surface on each such head having ,a port communicating with the liquid duct therein, a valve plate removably pivoted to said surface and provided with an aperture registerable with said port in one position of pivotal adjustment of said plate, means for movingsaid plate to a position in which said aperture is out of registry with said port, and means for subsequently moving said plate to register said aperture with said port. r

11. A bottle ller comprising'the combination with a turntable having verticallyadjustable bottle supports arranged in annular series, of a cor-` responding series of ller heads carried 4by said turntable, a liquid supply chamber mounted centrally on said turntable within said series of filler heads, a series of pipes from said supply chamber to the respective heads, said heads being above the level of liquid supply in said chamber, a series of vacuum pipes leading to the respective heads, said heads having bottle engaging portions and a beveled surface, and vacuum and supply ducts communicating with the respective x`pipes and opening to said surface and thence extending through said bottle engaging portions for communication with a bottle, and a valve means carried by each such head and controlling communication between said liquid ducts and the exterior atmosphere for the relief of vacuum in the liquid ducts when the valve means is open.

12. A bottle filler comprising the combination with a turntable having vertically adjustable bottle supports arranged in annular series, of a corresponding series of filler heads carried by said turntable, a liquid supply chamber mounted centrally on said turntable Within said series of filler heads, a series of pipes from'said supply chamber to the respective heads, said heads being above the level of liquid supply in said chamber, a series of vacuum pipes leading to the respective heads,

, ing and closing said valve means successively at predetermined intervals in the course of turntable rotation. v

13. A bottle filler comprising the combination witha turntable having vertically adjustable bottle supports arranged in annular series, of a corresponding series of filler heads carried by said turntable, a liquid supply chamber mountedI centrally on said turntable within said series of filler heads, a series of pipes from said supply chamber to the respective heads, said headsbeing above the level of liquid supply in said chamber, a series of vacuum pipes leading to the respective heads, said heads having bottle engaging portions and a beveled surface, and vacuum and supply ducts communicating with the respective pipes and opening to said surface and thence extending through said bottle engaging portions for com- .munication with a bottle, and a valve means car-p ried by each such head and controlling communication between said liquid ducts and the exterior atmosphere for the relief of vacuum in the liquid ducts when the valve means is open, and means in the path of rotation of said turntable for opening and closing said valve means successively at predetermined intervals in the course of turntabl rotation, each such valve means comprising a plate pivoted on the beveled surface of the respective head and apertured for registry with the exposed end of a liquid duct in one position of angular adjustment ofthe plate upon said head.

14,'In a bottle filling machine, a filler head comprising a block with a beveled face, a filler nozzle receivable in the mouth of a bottle and provided with a gasket engageable with Vthe bottle mouth for the sealing thereof, and a plate pivoted on the beveledface of the head and provided with means for its oscillation thereon, said plate being apertured and said head being provided with separate vacuum ducts communicating with each other and leading to the said face and with liquid supply ducts communicating with each said vacuum line, of a separating other and opening to said face in a position such thatv the aperture of th'e plate will register with at least one of said ducts in one plate position and will be out of registry thereof with another plate position.

15. Bottle iilling mechanism comprising the combination with a central milk chamber and an annular series of iiller heads, of means spaced from said chamber and mechanically connecting the heads of said series with each other, pipes leading substantially rectilinearly from said chamber to the respective heads, and bracing means leading from each head substantially in the radial plane of the pipe leading to the respective head and diverging from such pipe substantially rectilinearly-for substantially rectilinearly to points on said chamber axially remote from the connection of said pipe therewith, whereby each bracing means, and pipe with said chamber comprise a skeleton frame of triangular nform constituting means by which said filler' heads are supported and braced from said chamber.

16. In a vacuum type bottle filling machine, the

, combination with a liquid supply chamber, a ller head having means providing communication with said chamber, a vacuum line leading from said head, and means for withdrawing air from chamber included in said vacuum line as a part thereof and arranged to effect separation from the air of liquidventrained therein, a pipe leading from said separating chamber with a substantial vertical component of direction, a liquid seal compartment adjacent the bottom of which said pipe opens, and a return conduit from the top of said compartment to said supply chamber, said supply chamber being at atmospheric pressure and said pipe having sufcient length to accommodate the full height of the column ofliquid which may be supported by the pressure dilerential between said supply chamber and said separating chamber.

1'?. In a vacuum type bottle filler, the combination with a vacuum line including a separating chamber, of a discharge pipevfrom said chamber having a substantial vertical component of direction, and a liquid trap having a discharge port at a substantially higher pressure than said separating chamber with the lower portion of which said pipe communicates, said pipe having a suiicient vertical height to accommodate a column of liquid suspended therein by the differential pressure between said separating chamber and the discharge port of said trap receptacle.

18. In a vacuum type bottle filler, the combination with a ller headrhaving supply and vacuum ducts, of a supply chamber provided with means affording communication with a supply duct of said head, a vacuum chamber having means aording communication with the vacuum duct of said head, a separating chamber, a vacuum line leading from said vacuum chamber to said separating chambenmeans for withdrawing air from 'said separating chamber, whereby to create a partial vacuum in said line, said supply chamber being at a pressure materially in excess of that in said vacuum chamber, a drain pipe leading from said separating chamber in a downward direction, and a trap removably connected with said drain pipe and with the lower portion of which said pipe communicates, the size of said trap and the vertical height of said pipe being suicient to accommodate a. column of liquid supported by the pres- 75 sure diierential created by said air withdrawin radial planes and v ing ports individual -opening toward said supports, whereby said heads and having means ing means, `and said trap having an overiiow for the discharge of material displaced by the accumulation of liquids received into said drain pipe fromsaid separating chamber.

19. Bottle filling equipment comprising the combination with a iiller head having a readily accessible face, and a pair of ducts having spaced terminal openings through said face, of means applicable to said face providing a closure for said duct openings, said face and closure means having complementary portionsvproviding a shallow groove between said openings sufficiently restricted in capacity to limit flow between said ducts, said closure means being readily displace-V able to expose said groove for the cleaning thereof.

20. rIn bottle filler equipment, the combination of a bottle lling head having a bottle engaging portion, an inclined face, a duct leading from said bottle engaging portion to an opening in said face, and a second duct leading rearwardly from another opening in said face, said openings being spaced apart, of means including a closure for said openings movable with respect to said head for affording a predeterminately restricted communication between said openings.

2l. Bottle illling equipment comprising the combination with a milk chamber and a milk supply pipe, of a bottle filler head having a bottle engaging portion and an inclined. face thereabove provided with a hole with which said pipe communicates, a. vacuum pipe, said face having a second hole with which said vacuum pipe communicates, `a vacuum duct terminating in a third hole of said face and leading thence downwardly through said bottle engaging portion of said head, a milk duct communicating with the first hole of said face and leading downwardly through the bottle engaging portion of said head, and a closure adjustable upon the face of said head over the rst, second and third holes thereof, said face and closure together providing mutually spaced surfaces constituting a restricted passage between said second and third holes in said face, which passage is fully accessible upon the movement of said closure.

4 22. In a vacuum filler, the combination with an annular series of supports for containers to be filled and an annular series of filler heads, f

a vacuum chamber substantially at the level of said heads, an independent supply chamber immediately below the vacuum chamber, means for maintaining a liquid level in said supply chamber below said heads and the tops of the containers necting the several heads independently with the respective chambers, said heads each havto the respective chambers chamber are in communication substantially solely through saidheads and the containers vbeneath the respective heads.

23. In a vacuum filler, the combination with on said supports, and meansV conannularly arranged supporting means for containers to be lled, of a cooperating annular series of filling heads each including a closure and having therewlthin vacuum Aand supply connections, means peripherally spacing the` several heads, a supply chamber below the level of said aii'ording communication from said chamber to the supply connections of said heads, means for maintaining in said supply chamber a level of liquid below said vacuum chamber mounted directly upon the supply chamber at substantially the level of said heads and having means affording communication with the vacuum connections of the several heads, said heads having separate vacuum and supply ports for communication with the respective containers.

A24. In a vacuum ller, the combination with annularly arranged supportingmeans, of a cooperating annular series of filling heads each including a closure and having therewithin vacuum and supply connections, means peripherally spacing the several heads, a supply chamber below the level. of said heads and having means affording communication from said chamber to the supply connections of said heads, a vacuum chamber mounted directly upon the supply chamber at substantially the 'level of said heads and having means aiording communication with the vacuum connections of the several heads, a

vacuum line leading from said vacuum chamber and including a separating chamber, a pipe depending from said separating chamber and having sumcient vertical extent so that the separated liquid therein will balance the vacuum to which said separating chamber is subject, means for subjecting saidO separating chamber to partial vacuum, and means for returning from said pipe to said supply chamber the separated liquid.

25. In a vacuum filling machine, the'combination with annularly organized supporting means, of a cooperating annular series of filler heads, means peripherally spacing said ller heads in said`annular series, each of said heads includ-1, ing a temporary receptacle closure and vacuum and supply connections, a supply chamber below the level of said heads having means aiording communication between it and the supply connections of said heads, said last mentioned means vcomprising brace means upwardly inclined rectilinearly from a low portion of said chamber to the several heads, and a vacuum chamber mounted upon the supply chamber in.

unitary connection therewith at substantially the level of said heads and having means affording mechanical support and a substantially horizontal communication between said heads and said vacuum chamber.

26. A vacuum ller machine comprising the combination with a supply chamber, of a vacuum chamber mounted thereon in unitary connection therewith, an annular series of heads surrounding said chamber at substantially the level of the vacuum chamber, a set of pipes extending substantially rectilinearly from lower portions of the supply chamber'to the respective heads and providing mechanical support for said heads as well as communication between said heads and said supply chamber, a second set of vpipes extending substantiallyl horizontally from said heads to the vacuum chamber and provid- .ing mechanical support for said heads as well as communication between said heads and the vacuum chamber, and supply and vacuum connections to the respective chambers.

27. A vacuum iilling machine comprising the combination with `centrally disposed supply and .vacuum chambers and an annular series of heads about said chambers having correspondingly 2,122,149 "heads and the tops of said containers and a vlding communication with the respective ducts. all of the several ducts opening through the beveled faces of the respective heads, and a closure for each head applied to its beveled face for completing connection between the several ducts.

28. In a'vacuum tlller, the combination oi a ller head providedv with a temporary closure and having supply and vacuum ducts opening from the end of said closure to a predetermined surface ofvfsaid head, said head also having supply and vacuum communication, ducts opening to the same surface, and closure means at said surface for rendering the several ducts directly accessible for cleaning and aiording communication between the respective ducts for supply and for vacuum.

29. In a vacuum illler, the combination of a illler head provided with a temporary closure and having supply and vacuum ducts opening from the end of said closure to a predetermined surface of said head, said head also having supply and vacuumfcommunication, ducts opening to the same surface, and closure means at said surface for rendering the several ducts directly accessible for cleaning and affording communication between the respective ducts for supply and for vacuum said closure means comprising an air relief valve for admitting air to one of said ducts.

30. In a vacuum iiller, the combination of an annular series of filler heads and means providing supply and vacuum connections to the respective heads, of valve means individual to each head for the admission of air to one of said connections to terminate the filling operation, and means rotatable with respect to the several heads for automatically operating said valve means at a predetermined point in the relative rotation to determine that portion of Asuch rotation in which illing occurs.

31. In a bottle iiller, the combination with a turntable, of a supply chamber, a vacuum chamber, and an annular series of ller heads mounted thereon, means connecting the filler heads with the supply chamber and the vacuum chamber respectively, valves carried by the individual heads for admitting air to one of said means, said heads being above the level of the supply chambery/whereby to depend upon the application of vacuum to deliver material from the supply chamber to the heads, and valve voperating mechanism with respect to which said turntable revolves, said mechanism being positioned in the path of successive valves for operating them in a direction to admit air to said means for interrupting the vacuum therein when the lling has,

progressed to a predetermined point.

32. In a vacuum filler, the combination with a turntable, of a supply chamber and a vacuum chamber mounted thereon and an innularv se ries of ller headshaving supply and vacuum vconnections to respective chambers rotatable therewith, each oi said heads having a port communicating with one of said connections for interrupting the vacuum therein, and valve means controlling the port, said heads being above the level of the supply chamber, whereby -continued vacuum is essential to the continuance of the transfer of material from the supply chamber to the head, and relatively stationary valve operatinglmeans with respect to which the several heads revolve, said valves having portions in the path of said means to be actuated thereby in a port opening direction whereby to terminate the iilling operation.

Cil

aiaaiaa 33. In a vacuum filler, the combination with a series of filler heads and a valve actuating device mounted for relative movement, each of said heads having a closure, vacuum and supply ducts opening therethrough, and vacuum and supply connections to said ducts, and a valve mounted on each of said heads and including means for admitting air to one of said ducts for breaking the vacuum therein, the valve having an operator extending into the path of relative movement of said valve actuating means to be engaged thereby in a valve opening direction, together with a source of supply from which said supply connections lead, lsaid source being below the level of said heads whereby to be dependent upon the vacuum for the `delivery of material through the supply duct of said head, the admission of air through. said valve terminating the delivery of material through said duct.

34. In a vacuum nller, the combination with a supply chamber and a vacuum chamber, of a temporary closure provided with supply and vac'- uum connections to the `respective chambers, the supply chamber being below the level of the closure, and means providing a port opening into the supply connection above the level of material in the supply chamber, a valve controlling said port, means for bodily moving said closure, and means adjustable in the path of such movenient for actuating said valve for the opening of said port, whereby adjustably to control thev duration of a filling operation in the course of such movement.

35. In a vacuum filler, the combination with a supply chamber and a vacuum chamber, of means including a temporary receptacle closure providing a pair of ducts communicatingwith the respective chambers, the duct communicating with the supply chamber comprising an inverted U having a short leg terminating at said closure above the level of supply in said chamber, said temporary closure including valve means for admitting air to said supply duct at a point above the level of supply and between the supply chamber and the temporary closure, valve operating mechanism including means for the opening thereof and means for the closing thereof, and adjustable means whereby the time interval between thevopening and closing of said valve means is adjustable for terminating the filling operation.

36. In a vacuum filler, the combination with a vacuum chamber and a supply chamber, of a filler head comprising a temporary closure for a receptacle to be filled and disposed above the level of materialin said supply chamber, means providing a duct in the form of an inverted U having a short leg extended through said head and closure, and a longer leg extending into a lower portion of said supply chamber, valve means for admitting air into said duct adjacent its highest point, and duct means leading from said closure to said head to said vacuum chamber.

' 37. A vacuum iiller comprising the combination with a supply chamber and a vacuum chamber, of an annular series of heads around said chamber having temporary closures i'or receptacles to be lled, each of said heads having supply and vacuum' ducts extending through said closure, means providing communication between the top of the supply duct of each such head and a lower portion of the supply chamber, means providing communication between the top of the vacuum duct of each such head and the vacuum chamber,

and valve means mounted on each such head for controlling the admission of air to the top of said supply duct, whereby to break the vacuum therein and to discontinue a filling operation through said duct. y

38. A vacuum nller comprising the combination with a supply chamber and a vacuum chamber, oi an annular series of heads around said chamber having .temporary closures for receptacles to be lledeach of said heads having supply and vacuum ducts extending through said closure, means providing communication between the top of the supply duct of each such head and a lower portion of the supply chamber, means providing .communication between the top of the vacuum duct of each such head and the vacuum chamber, and valve means mounted on each such head for controlling the admission of air to the top of said supply duct, whereby to break the vacuum therein and to discontinue a @lling operation through said duct, and mechanism relatively movable about said annular series of heads for mechanically actuating successive valve means to open position.

39. In a vacuum filler, the combination with a turntable and a supply chamber, a vacuum chamber and an annular series of ller heads mounted thereon, of work supporting means mounted on the turntable in association with the ller heads for holding thereto the receptacles to be filled, each ller head being provided with supply and vacuum ducts for communication with receptacles carried by said supporting means, a pipe connecting an upper portion of the supply duct of each nller head with a lower portion oi the supply chamber, the upper end of said pipe being 'above the supply level in said chamber, means establishing communication between the vacuum ducts of the several ller heads and the vacuum chamber, valve means mounted individually on the respective illler heads for controlling the admission of air to the supply ducts thereof, and valve actuating mechanism including a part disposed in the path of rotation of said ller heads on said turntable and adapted to actuate successive valve means to open position whereby to discontinue the filling operation through successive filler heads at predetermined points in the rotation of the turntable.

40. A vacuum filler comprising the combination with a turntable, oi a supply chamber mounted thereon, means for delivering liquid at a constant level thereto, a vacuum chamber mounted upon the supply chamber, an annular series of filler heads at vvsubstantially the level of the vacuum chamber and above the level of liquid in the supply chamber, each of said iiller heads including temporary receptacle closures and vacuum and supply ducts extending upwardly therethrough, means providing communication between the respective ducts and the vacuum and supply chambers respectively, -said means Hincluding supply conduits commencing below the liquid level oi the supply chamber and leading to a point above such level, a valve-means carried by each head for admitting air to the supply duct above the level of liquid in said supply chamber, whereby to break the vacuum therein, mechanism for automatically actuating said valve means in the course of turntable rotation, a vacuum line .connected with the vacuum chamber through which air and liquid reaching such chamber arewithdrawn therefrom, and means lil 41. In a vacuum filler, the combination with a supply chamber comprising a receptacle'provided about its margin with a seat, of a filler head having supply and vacuum ducts and contion with a supply chamber comprising a circular vessel having a tapered seat at its margin, of an annular series of filler heads about said level at substantially the level of said margin, each of said heads being provided with supply and vacuum ducts, pipes connecting the lower portion of said vessel with the supply ducts of the several heads, pipes connecting the seat at the margin of the vessel with the vacuum ducts of the several heads, and a closure for said vessel tted to said seat and provided with vacuum passages communicating through said seat and said last mentioned pipes with the vacuum ducts of the ller heads.

43. A vacuum illler comprising the combination with a supply chamber comprising a circular vessel having a tapered seat at its margin, of an annular series of filler heads about said level at substantially the level of vsaid-margin, each of said heads being provided with supply and vacnum ducts, pipes connecting the lower portion Iof said vessel with the supply ducts of the several heads, pipes connecting the seat at the margin of the vessel with the vacuum ducts of the several heads, and a closure for said vessel tted to said seat and provided with vacuum passages communicating through said seat and said last mentioned pipes with the vacuum ducts of the nller heads, a vacuum line connected with said passages in said closure, a separating chamber in said line, a column leading downwardly from said separating chamber of a height sucient so that the liquid therewithin will balance the vacuum in said line, and means for returning the liquid from said column to said supply chamber. 1

ed. In a device of the character described, the combination with a turntable provided withindividually adjustable work supports and filler heads engageable by the wort; upon the adjustment of the respective supports,.cam means for adjusting the supports in one direction, means functioning independently or the cam means for maintaining the supports in their adjusted positions, and a second cam means for actuating the supports in the opposite direction, at least one of said cam means being resiliently mounted for yielding movement independently of the other.

45. In a device oi the character described, the combination with a carrier and a series of ller heads carried thereby, of a corresponding series oi individually adjustable work supports mounted on said carrier for movement toward and from said filler heads, cam means at a predeter- 'mined station adjacent the path of said carrier for lifting said supports to raised positions, means upon which said cam means is resilient-.ly yieldably mounted, clutch means for maintaining said supports in thepositions to which they are adjusted by said cam means, a second cam means at a second station adjacent the path of movement of said carrier for determining the lowering movement of said supports, means for resillently mounting at least a portion of said secdraaide ond camv means, and means for releasing said clutch means at said second station to permit the lowering of said supports.

46. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a carrier and adjustable work supports, of means for raising said supports, a separate means individual to each support for maintaining it in raised position during the travel of the carrier, means for releasing the maintaining device at a predetermined station in the path of movement of the carrier, and means at said station for lowering each successive support, said last mentioned means comprising a cam follower on the support anda pair of spaced cams providing a downwardly inclined path for each successive cam follower, both of said cams being resiliently yieldably mounted' and provided with springs normally maintaining their positions under pressure sumcient to operate said supports under normal conditions.

47. A bottle i'llling machine comprising the combination with turntable means providing bottle supports in an annular series, of a central chamber partitioned to provide liquid supply and vacuum compartments and mounted on said Y turntable, an annular series of illler heads dis- -the admission oi liquid through said supply means to said liquid compartment for maintaining liquid at approximately a given level, liquid vpipes leading upwardly to the illler heads from points in the liquid compartment below said level, said illler heads being disposed above said level, and vacuum pipes leading from the filler heads to the vacuum compartment of said chamber, said liquid pipes and vacuum pipes constituting with said chamber skeleton frames of triangular form disposed on different radii of said turntable and upon which said filler heads are supported and braced mechanically from said chamber as well as connected for lllng operation with the liquid and vacuum compartments. 48. A bottle filling machine comprising the combination with turntable means providing bottle supports in an annular series, of a central chamber partitioned to provide liquid supply and vacuum compartments and mounted on said turntable, an annular series of filler heads disposed above the bottle supports in positions for registry with bottles on said supports, liquid supply means communicating with the liquid supply compartment therein, means regulating theadmission of liquid through said supply means to said liquid compartment for maintaining liquid at .approximately a given level, liquid pipes leading upwardly to the iiller heads from points in the liquid compartment below said level, said filler heads being disposed above said level, and vacuum pipes leading from the filler heads to the vacuum compartment of said chamber, said liquid pipes and vacuum pipes constituting with said chamber skeleton frames of triangular form disposed on dlierent radii of said turntable and upon which said ller heads are supported and braced mechanically from said chamber as well as connected for filling operation with the liquid and vacuum compartments, together with annularly disposed means -spaced from said chamber and connecting the several heads against relative lateral displacement.

49. A bottle lling machine comprising the combination with an annular series of filler heads,

skeleton frames for the mechanical each having rst and second ports for liquid and vacuum respectively, of a vessel disposed 'centrally within said series, a ilrst set of pipes leadlng from the bottom of said vessel upwardly to the filler heads and affording communication between the vessel and the rst ports, a second set of pipes leading from the filler heads to an upper portion of the vessel and affording communication with the second ports, said pipes being rigidly anchored in the vessel and filler heads whereby the pipes constitute radially projecting support and bracing of the filler heads from the vessel, means constituting a removable partition for said vessel to segregate that portion thereof with which said first mentioned pipes communicate, said means providing a vacuum chamber having openings positioned to register with said second pipes, and vacuum and supply connections leading respectively to the vacuum chamber and to that portion of the vessel below said partition.

50. A bottle illling machine comprising the combination with a chamber having a lower liquid compartment and an upper vacuum compartment, of an annular series of multi-ported filler heads concentric with said chamber, a removable centrally ported closure for said chamber, liquid supply and air conduits entering said chamber through the port in said closure and leading to the liquid and vacuum compartments respectively, means for maintaining a substantially constant liquid level in said liquid compartment below the level of said filling heads, and means supporting said heads from said chamber comprising .upwardly inclined pipes leading from said chamber to the respective iiller heads, said pipes establishing passages between said liquid compartment and the ports in said filler heads respectively. v

5l. A bottle filler comprising the combination with a central atmospheric chamber, of a centrally ported hollow closure therefor removably sealed to the upper portion of said chamber, said ported hollow closure forming a ported vacuum chamber, a seal for said ported closure, means for withdrawing air through said seal from within said hollow closure, means for supplying liquid through said seal to said central chamber,l an annular series of filling heads connected respectively to said chamber by upwardly inclined pipes,

and means for maintaining a substantially constant level of liquid in said chamber below the level of said heads.

52. A bottle ller comprising the combination with a turntable having vertically adjustable' bottle supports arranged concentrically in annular series,` of a. liquid supply chamber mounted centrally on said turntable and having a hollow centrally ported closure removably sealed to the open A upper portion of said liquid supply chamber, an

annular series of filler heads carried by said chamber, a series of supply pipesfrom said supply chamber to the respective heads, said heads being above the level of the liquid supply in saidl chamber, a series of vacuum pipes leading to the respective heads,.said heads having bottle engaging portions, vacuum and supply ducts communieating with the respective pipes and extending through said bottle engaging portion for communication with a bottle, and a valve means carried by each of said cation between said liquid ducts and the exterior atmosphere for the relief of vacuum in the liquid 1 ducts when the valve means is opened.

53. In a vacuum filler, the combination with heads controlling communiabove the level of the supply chamber and provided with supply and vacuum connections to the respective chambers, means supporting said filler head from said turntable, said ller headl having a port opening into the supply connection above the level of material in the supply chamber, and a valve controlling said port for admitting the atmosphere to the supply connection when the valve is open.

54. In a vacuum ller, the combination with a turntable, of a supply chamber centrally mounted thereon, a vacuum chamber on the turntable abovel the supply chamber, a ller head provided with means supporting it :from the turntable and including a temporary receptacle closure having a pair of ducts in operative communication with the respective chambers, the duct communicating with the supply chamber comprising an inverted U having a short leg terminating at the iiller head above the level of supply in said chamber,

and valve means carried by the iiller head for admitting air to said supply duct at a point above 4 the level of supply and' between the supply chamducts open and immediately adjacent which the several liquid supply ducts are in communication with each other and the several vacuum ducts are separately in communication with each other.

56. A bottle ller comprising the combination with means providing a liquid supply chamber and a vacuum chamber, of a filler head comprising a temporary bottle. stopper having vacuum and supply ducts opening through said stopper and vacuum and .supply ducts communicating with the respective chambers, said filler head having a single face through which all of the several ducts open and immediately adjacent which the several liquid supply ducts are in communication with-each other and the several vacuum ducts are separately in communication with eachv other, tpgether with valve means for ladmitting air to one of said ducts, and means for maintaining the liquid supply in the supply chamber lower than said head whereby theadrnission of air to any of saidducts will interrupt the vacuum and the flowof liquid throughsaid head.

57. A bottlel ller comprising the combination with means providing a liquid supply chamber and a vacuum chamber, of a ller head comprising a temporary bottle stopper having vacuum and supply ducts opening through said stopper and vacuum and supply ducts communicating with the respective chambers, said iiller head having a single face through which all of the several ducts open and immediately adjacent which the several liquid supply ducts are in communication with each other and the several vacuum ducts are separately in communication with each other, together with valve means for admitting air to one of said ducts, and means for maintaining the liquid supply in the supply chamber lower than the function of a valve for controlling the admission of atmospheric air as aforesaid.

58. In a vacuum filler, the combination with a supply chamber 'comprising a receptaclel ,and means for supplying liquid thereto under atmospheric pressure, of a closure for said receptacle including a vacuum chamber and a fillerV head disposed at a levelY above the level oi liquid in the supply chamber and having a temporary stopper, andvacuum and supply ducts opening therethrough and provided with means aording operative communication of said ducts with the vacuum chamber and with a point in said receptacle below the level of liquid therein.

59. 1n a vacuum ller, the combination with a turntable means provided with bottle supports in an annular series, of a central chamber partitioned to provide liquid supply and vacuum compartments and mounted on said turntable to rotate therewith, of a centrally ported closure for the liquid compartment of said chamber removably sealed thereto, a seal for said ported closure, means for supplying liquid under atmospheric pressure through said seal to the liquid compartment of said chamber for maintaining liquid-at approximately a predetermined given level in said liquid compartment, an annular series of ller heads disposed above the level of liquid in the liquid compartment and having a temporary stopper and vacuum and supply ducts opening therethrough and provided with means aiording operative communication of said ducts with the vacuum compartment of said central chamber, and with the liquid compartment of said central chamber at a point below the level of the liquid therein.

60. A bottle filler comprising the combination with means providing a liquid supply chamber and a vacuum chamber, of a filler head comprising a temporary bottle stopper having vacuum and supply ducts opening through said stopper and vacuum and supply ducts communicating with the respective chambers, said ller head having a single face through which all of the several ducts open and immediately adjacent which the several liquid supply ducts are in communication with' each other, a groove in the face of said head joining the several vacuum ducts,

a plate applied to said face for sealing said groove and the openings of said several ducts in said. face, said groove being of sumciently restricted capacity to limit the ow between said several vacuum ducts.

61. A bottle filling machine comprising the combination with a turntable having an annular series of supports and an annular series of filler heads above the respective supports and each comprising a temporary bottle closure vhaving first and second ports for liquid and vacuum respectively, of a supply chamber and a vacuum chamber respectively subject to atmospheric pressure and to sub-atmospheric pressure and including means whereby said chambers are substantially isolated against direct communication, whereby to maintain a pressure differential therebetween, said chambers being mounted on said turntable within said series of ller heads, a liquid supply means leading to said supply charnaieaiia l 9 ber and provided with a oat valve for maintaining a predetermined liquid level therein below the level of said heads, ducts leading upwardly from the liquid-containing portion of said vessel to the filler heads and communicating with the first ports thereof to constitute inverted U-tubes, whereof relatively long legs comprise said ducts and relatively shorter legs comprise the first ports of said heads, ducts leading from the second ports ofthe filler heads to the vacuum chamber, whereby the application of a' receptacle to a filler head will temporarily establish communication through the ports of said filler head and the associated ducts between the supply chamber and the vacuum chamber to enable said pressure differential to fill said receptacle, and sealed means for receiving from the vacuum chamber liquid passing thereto and for returning such liquid by gravity to the supply chamber while maintaining said pressure dierential.

l 62. A bottle filling machine comprising the combination with a turntable havingl an annular series of supports, and an annular series of filler heads above the respective supports and each comprising a temporary bottle closure having rst and second ports for liquid and vacuum respectively, of a supply chamber and a vacuum chamber respectively subject to atmospheric pressure and to subatmospheric pressure and positioned centrally on said turntable within said series of lle'r heads, a liquid supply means leading to the supply chamber and provided with a float valve for maintaining a predetermined liquid level therein below the level of said heads, pipes leading from a portion of the supply chamber below said level substantially rectilinearly upwardly and outwardly to said heads and communicating with the first ports thereof to constitute inverted U-tubes, whereof the pipes and ports comprise relatively long and short legs, a second set of pipes leading from the second ports of the ller heads to the vacuum chamber, each oi' said filler heads having an individual supply pipe and an individual vacuum pipe. and sealed means for returning liquid by gravity to the supply chamber, the several pipes constituting skeleton frames projecting from the supply chamber upon which said heads arewholly dependent for mechanical support and for bracing, as well as for the establishment of liquid and vacuum connections.

63. A bottle filler machine comprising the comblnation with a turntable provided with an annular series of supports and an annular series of rliler heads, each of said ller heads comprising a temporary bottle closure having liquid and vacuumports therethrough, of a liquid supply chamber mounted centrally on said turntable and arranged to operate at atmospheric pressure, a vacuum chamber mounted on the turntable, a supply pipe leading to said supply chamber and provided with a iioat valve for maintaining a predetermined liquid level in said supply chamber below the level of said filler heads, duct means providing communication between the vacuum ports of said heads and the vacuum chamber, and duct means providing communication between the liquid ports of said heads and a portion of said supply chamber below the liquid level thereof, said supply chamber having a substantially free and unobstructed inner wall surface outside of which all of said last mentioned duct means isvlocated.

ADOLPH J. LIPPOLD.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No., 2,122,1149. June 28, 1958.

ADOLPH J.v LIPPOL'D.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: yPage 9, first column, lines l and 17, claim l5, strike out the dash, words and quotation mark "for in radial planes and substantially rectilinearlym and that the said VLetters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case. in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 9th day` of August, A. D, 1958.

Leslie Frazer v (Seal) A Acting' Commissioner of Patents. 

